Maybe it was a good plan, but it didn't work due to numerous injuries.

In fact, the five played together in just one game -- in the win at Philadelphia on Oct. 14.

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"Those are the guys I came into the offseason believing were going to be our top guys and they only played one game together,'' Mayhew said on Wednesday. "So I think that certainly impacts what you're trying to do.''

The general manager said he could have done a better job at safety depth, but he wasn't counting on losing both safety starters -- Delmas and Spievey.

"We lose both starting safeties and what happens is our two good special teams safeties Erik Coleman and John Wendling start on our defense.'' Mayhew said. "It not only hurts our defense, but it hurts our special teams. We end up giving up four touchdowns in two games. Those guys aren't playing on special teams, we have offensive guys and younger guys playing.

"So those are all factors. The injury factor, the talent level, all of those things go together. That definitely had an impact on our season,'' Mayhew added.

Changes will be made for the 2013 season. He isn't concerned about how he beefs up the roster -- free agency or the draft.

Coming off a 4-12 season, he is looking for impact players especially in the defensive backfield.

"We need guys who can impact the game. We've got a lot of guys who are good guys, they line up right, they know what their job is, but they don't impact the game,'' Mayhew said. "We need interceptors, we need guys who sack the quarterback, we need guys who cause fumbles, guys who make plays on third down -- those are the kind of guys who can change the game for us. The turnover ratio is really out of whack and a lot of it is we didn't get any.''

The Lions' offense fumbled 24 times and lost 16 of them while the opponents fumbled 19 times and lost just a half-dozen.

Sacks were down from 41 in 2011 to 34 in 2012. Interceptions were down from 21 to 11.

"A guy like Cliff (Avril), we didn't play with a lot of leads, we played with some leads last year so we had some opportunities to tee off and get our pass rush going, everybody could cut loose, you just go,'' Mayhew said. "We didn't have as many of those. That may have been a reason for some of the decline in sacks.''

He has many decisions to be made in the offseason with so many defensive guys who are unrestricted free agents including Delmas, Spievey, Avril, defensive tackle Sammie Hill, linebacker Justin Durant, linebacker DeAndre Levy, Houston, cornerback Jonte Green, defensive end Willie Young and defensive end Lawrence Jackson. Mayhew didn't want to discuss individual contracts.

Mayhew said it's possible he overestimated his talent.

"I think that's quite possible. I certainly thought we were going to get some better performances,'' Mayhew said. "If you look at our defense, who on our defense played better than they played last year? Probably Ndamukong (Suh).

"Of the 10 starters we brought back probably Ndamukong is the one guy who played noticeably better,'' Mayhew said. "Some guys flatlined and some guys either were injured or didn't play, or didn't play as well.''

Hence the 4-12 record.

In 2012, coming off the playoffs, the Lions brought back 21 of 22 starters. That will not be the case for the 2013 season.